Optical toy.



PATBNTED OCT. 20, 1903.

- P. '1). SMITH.

OPTICAL TOY.

VAPPLIUATION IILED FEB. 24, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented 0ctober 20, 190s.

PUTNAM D. SMITH, OF WATERLOO,-IOWVA.

OPTICALVTOQY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 741,730, dated. October 20, 1903.

Application filed February 24, 1903. Serial No. 144.782. (No model.) I

My invention relates to optical toys; and.

the object of my invention. is to produce a pleasing inter'mingling of colors by means of the opposite rotations of varicolored cylinders, one contained within the other, the outer one constructed of such material as to permit of the inner one being visible through it. This object I efiect by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of my optical toy. Fig. 2 is an outer view of the two cylinders, and Fig. 3 is a transverse section of said cylinders on'the line mm of Fig. 1.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views. 7 7,

Both the outer cylinder 0 and the inner cylinder d are rotatable about the same shaft g, but in opposite directions. The outer cylinder 0 has the heads a and b, which areprovided with flanges. The inner cylinder 01 has its heads 8 and f placed within a short dis-' tance from the ends. The inner cylinder 01 may be opaque; but the outer cylinder 0 must be constructed of some suitable transparent or translucent material. The surfaces of both cylinders may be decorated with varicolored bands, as shown, or in any other manner desired. An auxiliary shaft h is fixed at right angles to the fixed shaft 9 and carries a rotatable friction-wheel 70. One side of the friction-Wheel 70 contacts with the surface of the groove m in the inner face of the head a, while the other side of said wheel bears against the outer face of the head 6. The forks of the handle 0 are attached to the ends of the'shaft g. A spring or is placed between the heads f and b in order to keep the heads a and e in frictional contact with the edge of the wheel k. I

'kee'ps the wheel k in position.

When by means of the handle 0 the flanges of the headsa and b are placed in contact with and rolled over any suitable surface, their movement causes the rotation of the wheel 70 by means of the friction between them. The slot on forms a bearing, which The frictional contact of the edge of the wheel 10 against it causes the head 6 and inner cylinder (1 to revolve in opposite direction to that of the outer cylinder 0. It is obvious that power may be applied to rotate the outer cylinder in any other convenient and equivalent manner.

As the outer cylinder 0 permits the outer surface of the inner cylinder cl to be seen through it, the play and intermingling of colors produces a striking effect pleasing to the eye, and variations in the efiect may be produced by the substitution for each other of cylinders of different patterns.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An optical toy consisting of inner and outer cylinders decoratively patterned and headed oppositely rotatable on the same shaft,

substantially as shownand described.

. .4. An optical toy consisting of inner and outer headed cylinders, flanges on the heads of outer cylinder, a common shaft for both cylinders, a friction-wheel rotatable about a stud on said shaft, and means for keeping the edge of friction-wheel in contact with the inner surface of one head of outer cylinder and the outer surface of one head of inner cylinder, substantially as shown and described.

5. An optical toy consisting of inner and surface of one head of inner cylinder, subouter headed cylinders, flanges on the heads of outer cylinder, a common shaft for both cylinders, a forked handle attached thereto, a friction-Wheel rotatable about astud on said shaft, and means for keeping the edge of friction-Wheel in contact with the inner surface of one head of outer cylinder and the outer stantially as shown and described.

Signed at WVaterloo, Iowa, this 30th day of January, 1903.

PUTNAM D. SMITH. Witnesses:

J. F. ALBRECHT, C. B. KENNEDY. 

